William Simpson Death, Obituary – DENVER, Colorado – William Pride Simpson of Estes Park, Colorado, has died at the age of 61 on January 09, 2023 after a courageous battle with cancer. His mother, Sarah Wray Simpson, and his father, the late Robert Truesdale Simpson, brought him into the world on May 25th, 1961. In his younger years, he was best known in the Hope Valley Country Club area for being a brilliant athlete and a jokester who rarely declined a challenge. He also had a reputation for rarely saying no to a competition.
Even as an adult, you could find yourself giggling or smiling while shaking your head when remembering the embarrassing situations from your childhood because the stories never came to an end and were never repeated.
His athletic prowess was a big reason why Ravenscroft High School was able to win back-to-back state football championships and a state basketball championship in 1980. (1978 & 1979).
In 1999, he was honored by being inducted into the Ravenscroft Alumni Sports Hall of Fame. This honor brought him prominence.
Recent comments made by Coach Cox include: “Because of his toughness, Billy stood out from the crowd. He was a challenging and obstinate opponent to deal with. Nothing could stop him from succeeding.”
Billy credited all of his accomplishments to his teammates, good fortune, the wisdom and guidance of Jimmy Cox and Ted Stefano, and his own understanding and hard work. Hampden Sydney College, Louisburg College, and North Carolina State University were among the educational institutions that he attended.
Billy became a member of the Order of Cross and Chalice as well as the Kappa Sigma Fraternity while he was a student at NC State. The University of Alabama, which was his top choice for higher education, is where he earned his degree. Tide game! As a young Alabama supporter, Billy would often communicate with Alabama head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant through the written word. In exchange, Coach Bryant sent Billy autographed footballs from the teams that won the SEC Championship in 1975 and the NCAA Championship in 1974. Billy was very appreciative of these gifts from Coach Bryant.
Because of his vile sense of humor, he was the subject of a lot of humorous observations. He was the epitome of a Southern gentleman, and he took great pleasure in lavishing his guests with gourmet food, his world-famous 8-hour ribs, and roadside barbecue stands. He enjoyed visiting Birmingham the most when he went to Dreamland.
Billy consistently prioritized the need of other people, particularly the demands of women. a bold individual who possesses impeccable manners.
He was an excellent listener and cherished the time he got to spend with his family and friends. McKinney, Carter Wray, and Pride were his three children, and he treasured them more than anything else in the world. When asked, they provided a list of some of the reasons why they liked Billy so much, including the fact that he would let them choose any dessert off the menu and that he would take them swimming at night at Wrightsville Beach.
He made life more exciting and enjoyable, and it will be very difficult to live without him.
In addition to his wife Melissa Herbert Simpson, his children Carter Wray, John William Pride, and Sarah McKinney Simpson, his siblings Elizabeth Simpson Harmon (Ted), of Durham, and Robert Truesdale Simpson (Heather), of Holly Springs, as well as a large number of nieces, nephews, and friends, he is survived by all of these people.
During this difficult time, the family would like to express their deep gratitude to all of Billy’s friends for the enormous amount of love and support they have shown them.
An unparalleled special brotherhood was established by Dean Shavlik, Jock Brakebill, Greg Jurgensen, Jay Kennihan, John D. Lyon, and William Parrish. There are too many others to mention, but these men were among the first to do so. Your generosity, unflinching support, and unending love will live on in our hearts forever.
A memorial service will be held on January 20th, 2023 at 1:00 PM at Hayes Barton Baptist Church, which is located in Raleigh at 1800 Glenwood Avenue. A visitation will be held on January 19th, 2023 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, which is located at 831 Wake Forest Road in Raleigh, North Carolina.
At a later time, there will be a funeral service followed by a private interment at the Historic Oakwood Cemetery.